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Labriola not exactly a ray of sunshine

steelers.com yesterday

Labriola on loss to Titans

Posted 22 hours ago
Bob Labriola Steelers Digest [URL="https://twitter.com/#%21/boblabriola"] @BobLabriola[/URL]
Of course, any serious list has to start with 51-0 vs. Cleveland in 1989. Another one that has to go right up near the top is 37-7 vs. Dallas in 1997. The 16-0 vs. the Ravens in 2000 may not have been a big margin, but it did have the air of a game that was going to be a shutout regardless of how long it lasted.

Last Sunday against the Tennessee Titans belongs on the list, too.

Disappointing and deflating. Disturbingly inept. And costly. All of those descriptions apply to the Steelersí 16-9 loss to the Tennessee Titans at Heinz Field that sure stuck a pin right into the oleí optimism balloon on the opening weekend of the 2013 NFL season.

Of course, what makes a loss in the first of 16 games to be played over the next four months really costly, what makes a loss that didnít even knock the Steelers out of a four-way tie for first/last place in the AFC North really tough to swallow, comes directly from the knee injury to [URL="http://www.steelers.com/team/roster/maurkice-pouncey/9d33439a-ec2b-4a65-a2a2-0b63719b0604/"]Maurkice Pouncey[/URL] and the biceps tear to [URL="http://www.steelers.com/team/roster/larry-foote/8bbeec8c-cae8-4d79-8c84-eb94ce439442/"]Larry Foote[/URL]. In a sport where the victors most often are the winners of the war of attrition, the Steelers lost a couple of critical components their first time out of the box.

Thatís what was costly about this, and whether the Steelers have enough to overcome the personnel price tag of this loss to the Titans isnít easily answered in the affirmative. When this preseason ended, there were more ifs and hopes associated with these Steelers than there were facts and proof in the first place, and after the showing against the Titans and the thinning of the ranks of the individuals who were so closely tied to those hopes, well, there isnít exactly a sunny aura surrounding Pittsburghís professional football team.

Again, no takeaways by the defense. A couple of almosts, but still no takeaways. Again, penalties by the special teams that put the offense in a bad spot to start a possession. Only two penalties, but two too many. Again, fumbles by the starting running back. Not Jonathan Dwyer, but [URL="http://www.steelers.com/team/roster/isaac-redman/5250dc8c-d3c1-4001-9e55-b6c6d991bb84/"]Isaac Redman[/URL], and every bit as damaging to the cause.

The Steelers finished 8-8 last season as the result of many of the same holes in their game that they put on display against the Titans last Sunday. They were a minus-2 in turnover ratio, below the line in third-down conversions and in the red zone, allowed more rushing yards than they gained. Their defense was stingy early, but without an efficient offense backing it up or takeaways getting it off the field, it eventually wore down. And donít forget the injuries. More injuries. Pouncey and Foote are expected to be lost for the season, with a late and unconfirmed report that [URL="http://www.steelers.com/team/roster/larod-stephens-howling/5ee61891-f8df-49e9-82cb-83ddd76e242a/"]LaRod Stephens-Howling[/URL] will join them on injured reserve with a torn ACL.

Too much of it is the same, and donít believe for a second that opposing teams arenít catching on and adjusting how they attack the Steelers as a result. Knowing that balls are unlikely to be intercepted, for example, gives opposing quarterbacks the confidence to take chances. Knowing that the Steelers are not an explosive offensive team, for another example, allows opponents to be conservative in their own offensive approach and thereby not take the kinds of chances that can blow up in oneís face.

This week promises to be a trying one for the Steelers, and it will end with a tougher challenge Ė a Monday night in Cincinnati against the Bengals Ė than the one they failed so miserably to meet last Sunday against the Titans.

It doesnít look good right now. It looks the same.

Read the rest of this column in its entirety in the current issue of Steelers Digest. To subscribe, call 1-800-334-4005, or visit: [URL]http://www.steelers.com/news/digest.html[/URL]

Nothing and I mean nothing compares to the 51-0 thrashing by the Browns. I wish people would stop comparing the loss to the Titans to that game. I was at that game. Maybe the most embarrassing day in Steeler history. It was WAY worse than Sunday in every way. BTW that team rebounded to make the playoffs. Maybe this team can do the same.

I remember it well. A few weeks after that thrashing, the Steelers beat the Browns in Cleveland. That win put us both at 3-3 and in a tie for 1st place in the Central...after we won, some old biddy yelled "51-0" at me...I calmly told her to check the standings tomorrow and see who was in first place...then, somebody poured a beer on me, but it was worth it...

Nothing and I mean nothing compares to the 51-0 thrashing by the Browns. I wish people would stop comparing the loss to the Titans to that game. I was at that game. Maybe the most embarrassing day in Steeler history. It was WAY worse than Sunday in every way. BTW that team rebounded to make the playoffs. Maybe this team can do the same.

In light of next week's game, don't forget the 41-10 thrashing the next weekend (the Bungles if I'm not mistaken).

In light of next week's game, don't forget the 41-10 thrashing the next weekend (the Bungles if I'm not mistaken).

I honestly would not be surprised if we beat Cincy next week. And even if we dont, I still expect that we will make the playoffs this year. The defense is pretty good and there are more parts yet to be added to this offense.

I honestly would not be surprised if we beat Cincy next week. And even if we dont, I still expect that we will make the playoffs this year. The defense is pretty good and there are more parts yet to be added to this offense.

Could happen. I bet the Ravens haven't given up on their season yet either despite allowing an NFL record tying 7 TD passes to Jughead Manning

Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, hear the lamentations of their women.

I honestly would not be surprised if we beat Cincy next week. And even if we dont, I still expect that we will make the playoffs this year. The defense is pretty good and there are more parts yet to be added to this offense.

You wouldn't.
The league's worst defense a year ago shut us out for 50+ minutes. How do you see our O-line handling the Bungles' front 7 consistently? I'm not saying we can't win, but I would definitely be SURPRISED to beat them this particular Monday.

What makes this article particularly damning and damaging is that Labriola is not an independent journalist. If I understand it correctly, he is an employee of the steelers. That took some balls. Good for him. It is a well written piece with nicely articulated arguments. A+ for Labriola. At least one Steelers employee is doing well.

Even if Bill Belichick was getting an atomic wedgie, his face would look exactly the same.